On February 24, 2005, a new Belgian beer restaurant, Belleville, will open in Moscow at 57 Leninsky Prospect. It will be the first Belgian Beer Café® to open in this country. At present, there are over 50 restaurants in the world carrying this brand, owned by InBev, the world’s largest brewer by volume.

The project is being run by the brewing company, SUN Interbrew, InBev’s Russian affiliate, together with the restaurant management company, RP-COM. Last year, the parties signed an agreement which will result in the opening up in the European region of Russia to number of restaurants carrying the brands, Sibirskaya Korona, Beck's®, Staropramen® and Belgian Beer Cafe®. The cooperation will be mutually beneficial for the two companies. SUN Interbrew will have an additional channel to promote its products, while guaranteeing a high culture of beer consumption and European service. RP-COM will have added several famous brands to its portfolio at its restaurants.

SUN Interbrew was one of the first brewing companies operating on the Russian market to declare its intention to expand into the premium segment with its portfolio. According to its creators, Belleville will become the cultural and educational center of the European beer tradition and a proponent of the beer-consumption culture. In the words of Irina Kibina, Senior VP Corporate Affairs & Communications, SUN Interbrew, “The beer culture of Europe is close to the Russian consumer, both historically and geographically.”

Joseph Strella, SUN Interbrew’s CEO, commented, “The company considers this project as having excellent prospects, as it embraces a wide target-audience of Russian beer consumers who make high demands, both in terms of the quality of the beer and the place where it is consumed.”

The restaurant’s menu will include many dishes of European and national Belgian cuisine, as well as various unique Belgian beer brands. The interior, which reproduces the atmosphere of Belgian restaurants dating back to the beginning of the 20th century, will add to the success of business meetings and the enjoyment of leisure time. Flemish paintings, antique objects, as well as the rest of the Café’s furniture, should produce an unforgettable impression on visitors.

“The unique marketing strategy and modern production technologies have made the Belgian Beer Cafe® concept very attractive for our company,” said Leonid Kaprov, RP-COM managing partner. Belgian Beer Cafes® are now present in 17 countries, all united by the common Belgian theme, but differing in how they are implemented. Belleville is the first Belgian Beer Cafe® in Russia, and RP-COM is planning to open two more BBC restaurants by the end of 2006.”

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